Buffalo Bird Girl (review)

The childhood of a Native American woman on the Plains in the mid-nineteenth century is described here by Lakota tribe member and noted biographer Nelson. Drawing from the work of Gilbert L. Wilson, an anthropologist who met with Buffalo Bird Girl and transcribed her life story, Nelson focuses specifically on the Hidatsa woman’s childhood in Like-a-Fishhook Village near the Missouri River in what is now North Dakota. Each section begins with a quote from Buffalo Bird Girl and proceeds to describe the various ins and outs of living on the Plains: the architecture and layout of Buffalo Bird Girl’s earth-mound home; the tasks of gardening, hunting, and childcare that were divided among the tribe; conflicts with both neighboring tribes and white traders; and the eventual forced removal of her people to a reservation. Nelson’s quiet, respectful tone capably balances the factual details of daily life in the Hidatsa tribe with the obvious joy and nostalgia Buffalo Bird Girl feels toward her childhood (“I look back upon my girlhood as the happiest time of my life”). The stellar layout reflects this balance, with simple black and white photos with informative captions interspersed among Nelson’s elegant art, some which consists of simple, pencil sketches while other pages are full-page, acrylic paintings resplendent in earth tones and hues of burnished golds, sky blues, and rusty reds. Back matter includes an extensive author’s note, a detailed timeline, source notes, and a source bibliography.